site.btaDemocracy, Rights and Freedoms Parliamentary Group Subjected to "Nasty Political Attack", MP Says

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Hayri Sadakov MP of the Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF) Parliamentary Group, said that “DRF is coming under an extremely nasty political attack involving the State”. He noted that the seizure of the entity's headquarters was the latest of "several phases of this attack".

On Monday, employees of the Sofia regional administration sealed the building at 45A Alexander Stamboliiski Blvd., which has housed the headquarters of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) for 35 years. In July 2024, the MRF split into two factions: DRF, loyal to MRF founder and honorary chairman Ahmed Dogan, and MRF – New Beginning, headed by Delyan Peevski. Both factions claim they are the genuine party, and they have expelled each other's leaderships. In November 2024, a building at 23 Vrabcha St. was allocated to MRF at the request of Peevski's faction. Three public institutions had to vacate these premises. Last Friday, DRF described the eviction from the Stamboliiski Blvd. building as an act of "unprecedented political repression." The action was apparently prompted by the allocation of the Vrabcha St. building to the party, whose division is subject to pending litigation.

Sadakov said that the DRF are trying to enlist the Prime Minister’s support in addressing the issue. "If anyone believes that taking away our headquarters will block the MRF, they are mistaken," Sadakov added. In his words, “if necessary, the MRF will go back to where it was founded - at people's homes, and it will continue on its path because Bulgaria needs the MRF. We will work for statehood, for Bulgaria’s European path,” the MP added.